1) Family comes first.

My second time starting college was quite different from the first: Instead of being 18 and on my own, I was 25, married with kids, and expected to provided for my family at the same time as completing my degree. With all these differences, I had to learn quickly that my family had to be my first priority, they had to receive my best. It’s totally doable to be a college student while taking care of your family, but you have to support them in order for them to support you. Be available for your family, give them the best of you, not the leftovers, and set your priorities early.

2) GPA isn’t everything.

This should probably point 1.2, but it’s been an important enough lesson to necessitate its own section. When you are in college with a family, and often with a job on top of that, something is going to have to give. The safest thing to let go of will be that over-the-top bit of effort in your assignments that separates a 93 from a 100. I’m not saying don’t do your work (excuses are lame), I’m just saying there is about a seven-point gap between excellent and perfect, and striving for perfection is just going to burn you out. I know this from experience, and have had to learn the hard way. So if you are done with the assignment, and its on-time, just turn it in. Don’t waste that extra energy trying to perfect at the cost of your family life and your sanity.

3) Work hard, rest hard.

Oh my goodness if I could only turn back the clock two years, I would have saved myself a lot of headache on this one. You’re not Superwoman/Superman, stop trying to be. Seven days straight of work, school, and taking care of family, week in and week out for sixteen straight weeks— that’s CRAZY! If you aren’t taking one day, or even a half day, to reset yourself and spend time with family (again, point 1), then you will burn out by the midpoint of the semester.

4) Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

As a student in the “nontraditional” (i.e., not 18-24) category, I knew that things would be different from the last time I was in school. For students who have been out of school for ten or twenty years, it can be an even bigger adjustment. Don’t be embarrassed to ask your classmates and instructors for clarification on how to do things, particularly as they pertain to technology, but even for simple things like what professors are looking for in an assignment. In my experience, people don’t get offended when you ask for clarification.

5) Don’t think you know it all.

I’m not talking about course content. Obviously you don’t think you have all that down, otherwise you wouldn’t be taking the class! During my first semester back in school I found myself constantly playing-up the fact that I’d been around the block before, and I’m sure it got pretty annoying to my younger peers. What I found was that while I had gained some life experience over my classmates, by no means did I have it all together. In some areas, my younger peers were leaps and bounds beyond me developmentally. It pays to acknowledge you don’t know everything about life, and to take time to learn from your peers, even as you seek to help them through areas you’ve already mastered.

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ACADEMICS

ChristianColleges.com ranked GCD as the #1 online Bible College in the country. Academics weighed heavily in their scoring, as well as affordability and number of online programs.

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EDsmart.org listed GCD as the #1 accredited online college in North Carolina. This ranking was based on affordability, student satisfaction, and student outcome.

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BestColleges.com rated GCD as the #5 online Bachelor’s in Ministry program in the nation. Consideration factors included academic quality, affordability, and online competency.

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AFFORDABILITY

AffordableColleges.com listed GCD as the #5 most affordable online college in the country. Colleges on this list were ranked by cost and return on investment.

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The SR Education Group ranked GCD as the #1 most affordable online Christian college in the nation. Tuition rates for undergraduate programs and Christian affiliation were factored into this result.

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DEVELOPING LEADERS FOR THE KINGDOM

The word is starting to spread that excellent things are happening here at GCD! Our students engage at a high level and pursue God’s best with passion. Our faculty serve heroically to match academic rigor with practical application. By God’s grace, leaders are being developed to bring the good news of the Kingdom to the world!

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Scene: Africa. Subjects: wild dogs and wildebeests. The only way the wild dogs have the advantage is if the wildebeest run. However, if the wildebeests have the courage to stop running and stand their ground, the wild dogs are powerless. If you desire a more detailed and graphic demonstration of this truth, go watch The Hunt on Netflix.

Everyone is made on purpose and for a purpose, and that purpose ALWAYS involves others.

Here’s the big question: are you surrounded by people who are going to have the courage to stop in the face of danger and stand with you? Are you running alone? A very important lesson can be learned from the wildebeests. When we stop running and stand together, the enemy is powerless. We are not meant to do life alone. We need to surround ourselves with people who have the faith to stand and the courage to stop running. When we stand together, we halt the enemy.

Hebrews 4:11 (ESV) – “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”

Two words spring off the page: “us” and “no one.” Earlier in Hebrews 4, the author of Hebrews references the moment the nation of Israel fell prey to the fears of the faithless reporters.

Hebrews 4:2 (ESV) – “For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.”

With whom are you united?

Now, let’s take a moment to look at the word REST.

In this passage, “rest” is the Greek word katapausis, used in three different ways. (1) Rest as in the way we would use the peace of God, (2) rest as in the Promised Land, and (3) rest as in how God rested on the seventh day after his work was completed.

Here’s the truth: being out of rest is being out of faith.

Hebrews 4:1 (ESV) – “…while the promise of entering his rest still stands…” He has promised, we need to enter. God has promised peace. God has a promised land for you. God has work for you to complete. Let us enter in; let us enter together.

Choose to remove the words ALWAYS and NEVER in reference to yourself and those around you. Those are eternal words, only God is eternal.

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Eph. 4:15-16, ESV)

Church, let us be found standing together, striving together to enter into His rest.

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We know studying isn’t always easy or enjoyable, but we aim to help you minimize that! This post will address our top curated tips on studying for tests and exams. If you missed part one on good study habits and tips for writing papers/discussion posts, be sure to check it out here.

Studying For Tests & Exams

Teacher Knows Best

Professors emphasize what they think is most important… The most valuable things to commit to MEMORY are the things emphasized in class. Sometimes you feel overwhelmed by all the things you could study, but your teachers already told you what was important. Go there.

Make Your Own Study Guide

Cross reference your study guide with other people for accuracy, but making your own study guide is pivotal to retaining information. A large part of the learning comes from doing the work yourself.

Write Notes By HAND!

This cannot be emphasized enough. Yes, computers and phones are nifty and save us a world of time and trouble, but nothing beats writing out study guides and notes in your own hand. Trust all those who have gone before you: you will remember better this way.

Enjoy Study Time

Trick your brain into enjoying study time by incorporating things you like. Try eating your favorite snack, going to a nice coffee shop, or listening to your favorite music. Then give yourself a small break every hour.

Freebie: everyone has their own taste in music, but research shows that classical/instrumental music provide the optimum level of concentration and energy for your brain.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask

Don’t be afraid to ask professors questions in order to clarify assignments. They want you to succeed! There’s nothing wrong with making sure that you are studying the right information.

Work The System

If you have an open-book, at-home test, invest in a digital copy of the book. Use the search tool to look up keywords and terms. This really comes in handy, even when writing papers!

Exercise!

At least 20 minutes of cardio/day during finals releases endorphins and makes you less cranky and more productive. This is also great if you’re falling asleep.. Wake yourself up with a quick round of jumping jacks!

Use Mnemonic Devices

Acrostics and acronyms are a great way to remember lists of information. For example: TULIP, Every Good Boy Does Fine, Good Boys Do Fine Always, etc.

We hope these tips have been helpful!

Thanks for reading this list of study tips. We hope they help make your study time effective as well as fun. But make sure you remember that these tips aren’t the secret potion to good productivity; how much you get out of studying is largely based on how much you put in. Don’t overcomplicate it. As Amelia Earheart says, “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.”

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Studying — like anything else — might not always seem fun. Studying takes grit and perseverance, and it has to be done whether we feel like it or not. After interviewing students, professors, church leaders/pastors, and educational researchers, here are some of the top study tips that will make your studying both more effective and fun!

Study Habits

PLAN Time To Study

If you don’t make studying a priority and actually plan time to do it, it won’t happen! Dr. Elmore addresses this in his principle “Big Rocks First”; there are always a million other things you could be doing, so be sure to prioritize what’s most important and then build your schedule accordingly.

Focus Where It Matters

If you can get an A in one class even if you get a C on the final, then focus on another class.

This might make you cringe, but remember that doing your best often involves prioritizing where you invest your time. Look at your assignments objectively to see what needs the most attention and prioritize accordingly.

Eat, Sleep & Pray

Eat an apple or banana. They provide the healthy sugar your brain needs to function at its best.

Sleep on it. Besides the obvious benefits of a good night’s sleep, research shows that when you sleep, you “turn off” your conscious brain and allow your subconscious to connect information in new ways.

Pray and relax your soul. Seriously, ask God to help you study productively, remember important information, and test well!

Work First, Play Later

When Thanksgiving or Spring Break comes around, it’s easier to push through one or two extra days of homework first and then take the rest of the week off. It’s much harder the other way around.

Writing Papers & Posts

Teach Someone

Teaching someone is proven to be linked to how well an individual retains information. Especially if you’re an external processor, talking with someone about your thesis statement will help you process what you want to say, and then writing it down will be that much easier. Afterwards, be sure to change the vocabulary/style to be academically appropriate.

Outline Your Paper

When reading and researching, keep your paper and discussion post in mind and type up any quotes/notes you might want to use. Go ahead and include the author and page number; this way, when you go to write your paper, a lot of it is already written!

Get A Second Set Of Eyes

When writing your final paper, get a second set of eyes. No matter how good you are, you may have missed a comma splice, misspelling, horrible sentence, or even the paragraph that doesn’t have a link to your thesis statement. Get someone to help you.

P.S. When editing for grammar and spelling, read your paper in reverse. Reading backwards messes up the flow of your paper and helps you catch more errors — it’s what the pros do.

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Church Growth Course

Grace College of Divinity offers a unique course centered around the principles of church growth. It is from a sociological, psychological, and theological point of view. The course is designed to cover elements behind church growth.

In the class they look at 2-3 models of churches at a systemic level to discover what they have in common. The class looks at successful churches and links the key differences to see how to best impact change in a community.

The class looks to the early church in the Bible and asks the questions “What makes a movement?” “What would happen to the community if the church disappeared?” The class also recognizes that it is Jesus who grows the church but reaches beyond to see how the church can impact a community.

Some of the required reading material include Viral Churches by Ed Stezer and Warren Bird and Exponential by Dave Ferguson and Jon Ferguson. The assignments are made relatable to everyone. The class is not designed to only appeal to those who are called to plant a church. The class is for anyone who has a heart for understanding their part in the local church or how the church can obtain optimal healthy growth.

The early church made a movement that spread the word of God all around the world. That movement has not finished. This class helps individuals find their place in the movement. God fills the seats but our role extends beyond just that.

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The Expereience Student Ministry Internship

During my time in the Experience internship with GCD, most of my classes took place in class rather than online. I remember having a hard time becoming acclimated to the online courses because they were structured differently. After the internship, I moved back home to Roanoke Rapids, NC and continued my education completely online. Immediately, I ran into an issue – I was unable to find all my required courses in online form. Because of the issue, I had to call GCD to find out if any of my electives could substitute for a required class. Luckily, a couple of my previous classes substituted for prerequisites.

A photo posted by Grace College Of Divinity (@gcdivinity) on Feb 11, 2016 at 1:23pm PST

Online Bible College

I cannot say that doing four to five classes online every semester has been good for my health, especially early on. The process is very stressful and time consuming. However, after two semesters, I got the hang of online study and was able to reduce my study time by a couple hours. Because of the similar course patterns in almost ever class, I began to find a rhythm, and work became easier as I became a better student. My grades have been better through online classes, and that is important to me. I believe the online courses have forced me to study and pay attention more to detail as opposed to being in class with people. I realized that I do not retain information being spoken to me as well as information read and written about.

A photo posted by Grace College Of Divinity (@gcdivinity) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:46pm PST

Bible College Student

Because of my experience with online courses, I do not believe online classes are for everyone. Some people learn much better through lectures, and others learn better with reading and writing assignments. If you are like me and learn by reading and writing, then online classes are for you. But, if you learn by listening to a teacher, then online courses may not be the best decision for you. However, you have to do what must be done in order to obtain your education. If you work hard no matter what your learning style is, then online classes are worth the extra work.

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A video posted by Grace College Of Divinity (@gcdivinity) on Feb 24, 2016 at 7:04pm PST

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Why Bible College?

Bible colleges and secular colleges alike focus on a specific area for one’s career, have student life and opportunities for growth, have advising and counseling services, and an overall desire for every student to succeed in their education and in their life. Other than these basic areas, there are many differences between a secular and Bible college. For a school to grow they must have these components; but, the foundation (or the reasoning behind these services) often are different.

Why should you choose to go to a Bible college? Several reasons come to mind, but the most important is to get a solid foundation. According to LifeWay Research 70% of young adults stop coming to church regularly. Many other studies have been done that show large percentages of college students who claimed to be Christians before school, claim after college they are no longer Christians. Before heading off to any secular college the student should be able to have critical thinking skills and should be developed in Christian character and spiritual disciplines to stand firm and not be swayed by the difficulties of life, especially college life.

At least one year of Bible College can strengthen a student’s belief system and enable them to go to any college and into any career with a solid foundation and faith. Where previously many people would go to Bible College only if they wanted to become a pastor, missionary, or chaplain, now more and more Bible Colleges are offering programs for many more career options.

Grace College of Divinity has all the basic college services, but the reasoning behind these services are not only to meet the standard, but to give life, encouragement, and assistance to students in becoming leaders that change the world. Some of the programs offered at GCD are for those who want to be pastors, worship leaders, chaplains, missionaries, but also CEOs, and leaders of any sort. GCD has several different certificates and degrees in Divinity and Christian Leadership. The Christian Leadership programs offer foundational principles for leadership from the Christian perspective, including classes such as Ethics, Foundations of Marketing, Introduction to Organizational Leadership, and Psychology of a Leader.

Maybe you think you want to be a lawyer or a doctor. We have alumni who are pursuing those careers now! Before they went to get their education at a secular college they took one year with GCD to build their foundation in their faith, character, and leadership.

“The internship helped me to build my faith on a solid foundation. I was unsure of who I was in Christ and whether or not Christ was truly the only way to God. If I had not made the decision to join the internship, I’m not sure if I’d even be a Christian. This decision altered my path in life for the better and I wouldn’t be the woman of faith and strong character I am today without it.” Paradise Flowers, Alumna of GCD’s college internship – theExperience, and currently a Medical Student at Campbell University.

If you want to be a Pastor or Chaplain click here to look into GCD’s Divinity programs. If you want to be a CEO, work with a non-profit, lawyer, or anything else involving leadership click here to look into our various Christian Leadership programs. No matter what God is calling you to do He wants all of us to be solid in our faith. To accomplish this, Bible Colleges, and specifically GCD, want to be part of that process in training up today’s world leaders with a solid foundation in faith, character, and leadership!

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Anna Beauchamp Memorial Scholarship

The Anna Beauchamp Memorial Scholarship, or the Temporary Scholarship, gets its name from the scripture 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV), “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Anna Beauchamp was a kind and inspiring woman of God. She made people smile wherever she went. She was very creative and loved making crafts. Anna loved everything nerdy, especially the T.V. show Doctor Who. She had an amazing affinity to get along with all different kinds of people.

While in the internship program Anna developed a strong faith in God of her own. She had a heart to serve others and always put people first. In January 2013 Anna tragically passed away in a car accident, and this fund was established in August 2013 in her honor. Anna was in the first graduating class of the Experience Internship at Grace College of Divinity, afterwards she began to pursue her Bachelor of Divinity. Many of later Experience interns have been impacted by Anna through the Temporary Scholarship. This scholarship awards up to $750 per semester, per recipient, as determined by the decision of the GCD Scholarship Team. This scholarship was set up so other students may have the life changing opportunity that Anna had in her time at GCD and the Internship.

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General info

MISSION STATEMENT

Grace College of Divinity is a biblical higher education institution dedicated to Preparing Emerging Leaders to Change the World by advancing the Kingdom of God through sound biblical training, practical ministry and personal development.